Decaying in the Dark
by vivalaFredW
Summary: What if Harry never goes looking for Hermione when Ron snogs Lavender and Professor Snape finds her instead? This is my first fanfic, rated M for hopeful future chapters.
1. I'm Fine

_Writing SS has proven to be a big challenge for me. I have paired up with the amazing TamgerineExtreme to bring you all a more polished and lengthy experience.__I hope this has improved for you as much as I personally feel it has.__All recognizable characters and places belong to JKR.____

**Chapter 1.**

A young woman sat practicing a charms spell at the bottom of a staircase. She had bushy, soft brown curls. Above her, small yellow birds flitted about twittering up a storm. Her faint cries could be heard echoing up the staircase, but no one else appeared to be around.

_How could Ron? Why would he spend all summer flirting with me just to go off and snog that bint? Was I reading his signals wrong? The subtle touches, lingering smiles, and that cheeky look in his eye he only had looking at me? No, I'm Hermione Granger. I don't get those sort of things wrong. Maybe this was all just some twisted game for him? A 'let's make Hermione think she has a chance at a relationship just to remind her she's a bushy-haired know-it-all' game. I'm not having it!_

Hermione's head whipped around to look up the staircase at the sound of the hinges creaking on the opening door. _Who would possibly be coming down here? No one enters this hall except Gryffindors looking for some privacy. Oh, no, please... don't be them._ She heard the soft footfalls of those familiar black boots, and she listened to the robes before she saw them. The familiar swish of the fabric moving around the corner as he descended the stairs. The sight of those familiar billowing black robes would have filled any other student with dread, but Hermione felt an odd comfort if only because it wasn't Ron and 'Lav-Lav.' His usual color scheme ironically seemed to match the situation: isolated suffering. _He must be out doing his rounds. He always seems to be alone. Perhaps that is why he consistently surrounds himself with black. I've always thought of his robes like a shield. Is it strictly by choice?_

She heard his footsteps pause. Professor Snape seemed to be slightly unsure of himself as if this wasn't the scene he was anticipating on discovering.

Neither one of them said anything until she murmured,

"Charms spell. Just practicing."

He was clearly not expecting that to be the first thing out of her mouth. His head jerked quickly to the side to thoroughly look at her.

"Why, pray tell, is a Gryffindor such as yourself practicing charms work alone in this hallway, Miss Granger?"

She sat quietly, not answering. Finally, she said,

"You seem capable of answering my ruminations, Sir. Tell me: is it worth living your life in solitude? Not allowing anyone in and not allowing your heart to break? If a person falls apart alone in the dark, does it make a sound?"

"Lover's spat, Miss Granger?" She could not see his face but narrowed her eyes in annoyance at the man standing behind her. She replied,

"I'm fine. Please leave me be."

There was a brief silence until she heard,

"Tell me, if a person falls apart alone in the dark, does it make a sound? And if it does make a sound, is it as loud and devastating as a decaying broken heart when it is finally found? Or is the sound of a soft strangulation hidden that we miss all the time behind words like "I'm fine? Nikita Gill"

She sniffled a bit and turned to look at the man who had just said such beautiful words.

Was that suspicion she saw lingering in his eyes? A knowing? _I suppose it could seem a personal slight assuming he would know the answer. He presents nothing but a cold, unfeeling exterior. Perhaps no one thinks to ask him for advice such as this._

She locked eyes with the man standing there all in black. The emotion vanished from his eyes with such speed it was almost hard to believe it was there at all. Now there was the usual frostiness. _No, I know what I saw. He knows what this feels like._

After a moment's regard, Professor Snape seemed to have found his answer, "I'm afraid, Miss Granger, I tend to keep my mind preoccupied with matters of more importance than if it's better to be alone or the whimsy of a girl's fickle heartache. Return to Gryffindor tower immediately, or you will miss curfew undoubtedly giving me the pleasure of deducting enough house points you shall forget all about your ginger dunderhead." In a billow of black robes, Professor Snape turned to exit the room as quickly as he had appeared. _A bit curious… he didn't wait to see if I would leave or not._

Hermione lay in her bed later that night thinking over the encounter with her Professor. She had sat on those steps quite a while agonizing over Ron, but her unexpected crossing of paths with her elusive Professor had dominated her thoughts. He had never returned. His words had startled her, but it was the look in his charcoal eyes that had her mind turning. _Perhaps I struck a nerve with my question. It indeed appeared there was an answer available in the poem he spoke to me. The boys can say what they will of his sour disposition, but no one can deny the power behind his formidable mind. I suspect Professor Snape is a man of great depth behind those calm waters_.

As she lie awake staring at the charmed ceiling above her bed, she thought of the unintentional distraction which had presented itself to her in that tower.


	2. I'm fine SS

_We were able to bring you a better chapter and an update all in one day! Don't get use to beinf spoiled(:_

**Chapter 2.**

**SS POV**

Severus Snape wasn't typically a man who drank on the job. However, he suspected those that judged him for that had never done rounds in the Gryffindor common areas and hallways.

Reluctantly, he sat his dram of whiskey down on the table with a thunk. He checked the clock on the wall.

_Time to go put some dunderheads in their places with my favorite way to take house points. Ripping apart horny Gryffindors; my idea of fun._

He fastened the buttons on the bottom of his sleeves, straightened the front of his frock coat, and set off out of the dungeons. His walk was legendary. Oh, Severus Snape was very aware of what was said about him from the whisperings of the students.

_Stalking I believe they call it. Skulking about. The bat of the dungens. As if I didn't have anything better to do. My favorite may be a "vampire." At least that invokes some fear._

He silently walked along the familiar halls. So long he had lived in this castle he knew them like the back of his hand. He could navigate them expertly in the dark or otherwise. He walked the dim pathways almost mindlessly always keeping a vigilant ear out for any noises and silently casting a Homenum Revelio to let him know if anyone else where about.

He rounded the corner and came through a hallway full of couples. One couple down, two couples down. By the third, the others had scattered as quickly as possible. My fun soured before it began.

He walked down the hall towards a stairwell. As quietly as possible, he opened the large wooden door. Creeeeaaaakkkk. _Bloody hell. Well if they didn't know I was on my way before they do now. Must remember that for next time._ He descended the steps and heard a very faint sniffling.

As he descended the stairs, he didn't expect to find the person that he did. He came to a halt.

_What is Miss Granger doing here and of all things… crying? _

He stood slightly dumbfounded until he heard her say, "Charms spell. Just practicing."

He was clearly not expecting that to be the first thing out of her mouth. Severus' head jerked quickly to the side to thoroughly look at her. _Very odd, indeed. Where is the rest of the infamous trio. One would almost think they were glued together with a sticking charm that only ever failed in the library. _

He asked her, "Why, pray tell, is a Gryffindor such as yourself practicing charms work alone in this hallway, Miss Granger?"

She sat still just staring into space until she answered, "You seem capable of answering my ruminations, Sir. Tell me: is it worth living your life in solitude? Not allowing anyone in and not allowing your heart to break? If a person falls apart alone in the dark, does it make a sound?"

_Escaping Weasley then. It seems everyone knows her feelings but the insufferable dunderhead. Always wearing her heart on her sleeve, Gryffindors. _

Quick-witted as he was sharp-tongued Severus retorted, "Lover's spat, Miss Granger?" He could not see her face but could picture the annoyance forming on it. He heard the tone of her voice shift when she replied, "I'm fine. Please leave me be."

_She has been hurt. This, I know all too well. 'I'm fine.' Merlin, how many times have I used that exact phrase. I'm fine. Leave me be. Those words. I still remember the poem my mother taught me as a young man. _

He contemplated whether or not he should say anything until he could stand it no longer, "Tell me, if a person falls apart alone in the dark, does it make a sound? And if it does make a sound, is it as loud and devastating as a decaying broken heart when it is finally found? Or is the sound of a soft strangulation hidden that we miss all the time behind words like "I'm fine? - Nikita Gill"

He heard her sniffle as she slowly turned to look at him. She locked eyes with him for a brief moment, and he knew he looked at her with solidarity. And then, suddenly, he found himself very uncomfortable. _Bloody hell. Why did I say anything? Wall of steel and nothing more. Ever. Stiff upper lip._

"I'm afraid, Miss Granger, I tend to keep my mind preoccupied with matters of more importance than if it's better to be alone or the whimsy of a girl's fickle heartache. Return to Gryffindor tower immediately, or you will miss curfew undoubtedly giving me the pleasure of deducting enough house points you shall forget all about your ginger dunderhead."

Enveloping himself in the safety of his familiar black robes, Professor Snape turned to exit the room as quickly as he had appeared. Taking extra care of the billow of his robes, finding comfort in the familiar once again. Of all the things I imagined finding tonight, Miss Granger weeping was not one of them.

Slightly disarmed, he returned to his rooms promptly. When he returned, he found the fireplace had been lit, and his favorite book and another dram had been placed on the small table by his favorite chair. Undoing his cufflinks and his boots, he sat down.

_I wonder what that idiot Weasley boy did to upset her this time. I wouldn't have expected Miss Granger to be such a foolish girl. Allowing herself to get upset by such a dunderhead. It's a wonder you can't hear the wind whistle through Weasley's head when you get close enough to him. Hmmm. I'll have to remember this the next time he messes up in one of my classes. A good twap to the back of the head should do us all some good. _

He gave a little half smile at the thought of smacking Mr. Wealey on the back of the head with a book. Severus lay back in his chair and enjoyed the warmth from the fireplace. As he sat there sipping on his dram, staring at the ceiling in his sitting room he'd charmed to look like the night sky, he thought of the unintentional distraction which had presented itself to him in that tower**_._**


End file.
